Display device



Nov. 12, 1929. R, s, MORE 1,735,009

DISPLAY DEVICE Filed Sept. 26. 1928 3 Sheets-Sheet l Rill' 13 INVENTOR Nov. 12, 1929. R. s. MOORE 1,735,009v

DI SPLA Y DEVICE Filed Sept. 26. 1928 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 Nov. 12, 1929. R. s. MOORE 1,735,009

- DISPLAY DEVICE Filed Sept. 26, 1928 5 Sheets-Sheet 5 INVENTR Patented Nov. 12, 1929 UNITED STATES PATENT oFFIcE RALPH S. MOORE, OF LITTLE NECK, NEW YORK, A'SSIGNOR T0 HARRY B. KRUGER, OF

NEW YORK, N.` Y.

DISPLAY DEVICE This invention relates to display devices of the character which are employed for the purpose of arranging attractive window or counter displays of merchantable commodities. f f

The invention has for its primary object to provide certain improvements in an article of the kind shown and described in Patent No. 1,002,775, dated September 5, 1911, whereby, without material complications in structure, greater strength and rigidity `in the device when arranged in display position, together' with a comparatively extensive surface area upon which selected samples of merchandise may be displayed, will be obtained.

It is likewise an object of the invention to provide a display device having the above referred to advantages, which when not in use may be very compactly folded or collapsed so that it will occupy relatively little storage space.

In one practical embodiment of my inven tion, as in the `patent' above referred to, I

provide a supporting member preferably in the form of a heavy cardboard sheet provided on one of its edges with a plurality of steps together with display panels hingedly attached at their rear sides to the vertical edges of the respective steps. Each of these panels `includes an upper portion hingedly foldable upon the upper edges of the respective steps and providing a number of horizontal shelves extending between the upper edge of one panel and the lower edge of the next succeeding panel, and upon which the advertised commodities may be attractively arranged. This latter feature may be practically carried out in numerous ways, several of which are illustrated in theaccompanying drawings.

`It is also a further general object of the invention to provide such a display device which of simple construction, inexpensive to manufacture and readily lends itself to production in various forms or shapes.

With the above and other objects in view, the invention consists in the improved display device, and in the form, construction and relative arrangement of its several parts, as will be hereinafter more fully described, il-

lustrated in the accompanying drawings, and

Fig. 2 is a plan'view of the device folded or collapsed;

Fig. 3 is a side elevation of parts of the device arranged in display position;

Fig. 4 is a similar view illustrating the folded or collapsed relation of the several parts; f

Figs. 5 and 6 are views corresponding to Figs. 1 and 4 showing another embodiment of the invention; f

Fig. 7 is a rear elevation of thek device shown in Fig. 5, and

Figs. 8, 9 and 10 are views corresponding to Figs. 1, 3 and 4 respectively, illustrating still another alternative form of the invention. 'f Referring in detail to the drawing, and for the present more particularly to Figs. 1 to 4 thereof, as therein shown the device includes a support or easel preferably produced from a heavy cardboard sheet and consisting of two similar parts or sections 5 which are foldable uponr each other along the central vertical fold or hingeline indicated at 6. Each 0f these supporting parts 5 has portions of relatively ditferent widths to thereby produce on its front vertical edge a plurality of steps as shown at 7. The upper end portion of each part 5 is relatively long and narrow and at its front vertical edge has a flap or lateral eX- tension 8 hingedly connected therewith along the line 9. These flaps 8 are adhesively Secured to the rear faces of the two sections of an upper display panel, said panel sections beine integrally connected with each other and foldable along the central vertical hinge line 11. lVhen the device is set up in display position, these two panel sections are positioned in a common plane as seen in Fig. 1 of the drawings.

Each of theparts of the cardboard supporting member is further provided with a relatively foldable flan12 hingedly connected with the vertical edge of each step 7. rllhese flaps are adhesively secured to the rear faces of the respective display panels 13. The panels which are thus attached to the corresponding flaps 12 of theV two parts 5 of the support are produced from a single sheet of relatively light cardboard and are integrally connected with each other along the vertical hinge or fold line lil. In the illustrated eX- ample of the invention, l have shown three pairs of the display panels 13, and the two lower pairs of panels are each provided with a relatively narrow upper portion 15 foldable along a hinge line 16 which is parallel to the lower edge of the panel. Each of the portions 15 is likewise provided along its free edge with a. relatively narrow and comparatively short longitudinally extending part 17 which is fold-able relative to the portion 15 along the hinge line 18. Each of these narrow sections or strips 17 is provided in its free longitudinal edge with a notch indicated at 19 for a purpose which will presently appear.

ll`he uppermost panels 13 are provided at their upper ends with the triangular shaped 4sections 20 foldable relative to said panels along the lines 21. One edge of each of these sections 2O is provided with the narrow relatively foldable flap 22 adapted to be folded 'f along the line 23 to an angular position relative to the part 20, each of saidr strips 22 having a notch 24 in its longitudinal edge.

For the purpose of obtaining greater rigidity, I preferably notch or recess the lower edge of each Vof the upper panels 13 and of the panel sections andk also provide vertical cuts or slots in the cardboard parts 5 to a cor` responding depth so that said parts and the panels have a flexible interlocking connection with each other as indicated at 7. ln other words, it will thereby be understood that the lower end of each of these panels entends below the horizontal edge of each of the steps 7.

lVhen the device above described is folt et or collapsed, the several parts occupy a very compact relationship in substantially parallel relation to each other as indicated in Fig. l of the drawings. The central fold lines 1st between the panels 13, the fold line 11 between the panel sections 10, and the fold line 6 between the parts 5 ofthe supp rting easel are all located in a common plane so that when the device is set up in its display position, it is only necessary to force the parts u of the support laterally away from each other, and the various panels at each side of these central hinge lines will be relatively moved in opposite directions to a corresponding extent. Such movement is continued until the hingedly connected panels 13 assume a 90 angle relative to each otherand the parts 10 of the uppermost panel are positioned in a common plane. The several strips 17 are then bent along the lines 18 to an angular position relative to the parts 15r and said parts and the strips then folded inwardly and downwardly from the hinge line 16 until said parts 15 are positioned on the horizontal edges of the steps 7. The strips 17 are forced downwardly into vertical slots in the supporting parts 5 at 7 the notches 19 in said strips receiving the adjacent parts of the support. In this manner, the strips 17 are held closely against the downwardly projecting ends of the nent adjacent panels. 1t will thus be apparent that by means of this interlocking connection between the strips 17 and the parts 5 of the support, the latter are held or retained in their separated relation to prevent the accidental collapse of the device.

The parts 2O of the uppermost panels 13 are similarlyl folded inwardly and downwardly to extend between the upper edges of said panels and the lower ends of the uppermost panel sections 10. Preferably one of these parts 2O is provided at its wider end with an integral extension indicated at 20 and when folded, this extension underlies the inner edge of the part 2O on the connected panel 13. The relatively foldable strips 22 of the parts 20 are angularly bent and folded downwardly in the same manner as above described in connection with the part 17 so that the uppermost steps of the supporting parts 5 will'be received in the notches 24 of said steps. The two parts 20 when thus folded, provide a triangular shaped upper shelf at the lower ends of the panel sections 10 while the parts 15 provide additional shelves extending between the upper ends of the panels 13 to which said parts are attached and the lower ends of the next adjacent panels. Thus, in a structure which will occupy comparatively little counter room or window space, a relatively large area of shelf surface is provided upon which the articles to be displayed can be attractively arranged. rEhe front surfaces of the panels 13, as well as the upper panel sections 10 may bear appropriate printed advertising matter or a pictorial representation of the advertised merchandise.

From the above description, it will be seen tions l() can be of any preferred ornamental shape or contour.

In Figs. 5, 6 and 7 of the drawings, I show another modified form of my invention, `in which when the device is set up in position for use, it is of three sided form in plan,

providing a series of front display panels and two series of side display panels eX- tcnding rearwardly from the rfront panels. In this construction, the side and front panels at each elevation are cut from a single sheet of cardboard, the side panels 25 being hingedly connected along the vertical lines 26 with the ends of the front panel, the latter panel consisting of two sections 27 relatively foldable along the central vertical line 28. Each of the panels 25 and the panel sections 27 are provided at their upper edges with the shelf forming portions hingedly connected therewith as in the construction heretofore described and also with the foldable strips or sections connected with said shelf portions adapted to extend downwardly from the rear edge of the shelf portion and agairlist the front face of the next adjacent ane The fold line 28 connecting the front panel sections 27 extends through the relatively foldable parts of said panel sections which form the supporting shelf, and at the other ends of said shelf forming portions there is provided an angular extension 29 which is freefrorn connection with the relatively Lfoldable edge strip and is adapted to extend upon the shelf forming portion of a side panel 25 when the device is set up as shown in Fig. 5. The easel or support of this construction is substantially the same as that previously described, and it will therefore, be understood that only the shelf forming edge strips of the side' panels 25 are provided with the notches for interlocking connection with parts o f said support, the shelfforming parts whichy are connected with the front panel section 27 l l being retained in proper position by the frictional contact of the downwardly extending edge strips with the next adjacent panel sections.

The uppermost front panel sections 27 are provided with the hingedly connected shelf forming parts 29a, each of which has a relatively foldable strip 30 hingedly connected to the part 29a along the oblique line 31. These strips are provided with the notches for interlocking connection with parts of the supporting easel. The ornamental top panels l0a of this construction are disposed at a 90O angle with respect to each other, the hinge connection between said anels beingfpositioned in line with the foold or hinge line connections 28 between the front panels 27. The hingedly connected edges of the top panels 10a are however, positioned rearwardly of the plane of the upper front panels 27. Thus a top shelf is formed by the parts 29a which is of comparatively extensive area. Also the side and front shelves ybetween the offset vertical `'panels 25 and'27 afford an additional extensive supporting surface for the articles to be displayed.

W'hen the device is folded as seen in Fig. 6 of the drawings along the vertical hinge lines 28 connectingthe front panel sections, said front panel sections and the lside panels 25 connected therewith will be positioned in the same plane on opposite sides of the folded or collapsed parts of the supporting easel.

Another alternative construe-tion is illustrated in Figs. 8, 9 and 10 of the drawings, in which case there is provided, when the device is set up in position for use, a square or rectangular supporting base for the. articles to 'be displayed, together with a plurality7 of the vertical display panels and supporting shelves arranged relative to each other as shown in Fig. 8 of the drawings. In thisfconstrnction, as in that last described, the base structure of the device is composed of the hingedly connected front panel sec tion 27 and the side panels 25. These panels at their upper edges are provided withl the comparatively wide shelf forming parts 32 and 33 respectively, each of said partsr having the notched locking strip 34, 35 hingedly movable along an oblique line and adapted for connection with parts of the easel or support. These locking strips 34 and 35fare thus connected with the same parts of the supporting easel on each side of its center and in the folded position, the portionsf33 connected with the front panel sections 27 have parts thereof overlying the parts 32 as clearly seen in Fig. 10l of the drawings, thus affording double strength at the ccnter or each of these horizontal. base shelves upon which relatively heavy articles may be positioned.

Above these base forming parts of the device, one or'more series of the hingedly con-L nected display panels 13 are attached to the foldable parts of the supporting easel and are provided with the relatively movable shelf forming portions to be connected with the easel parts in the manner above described. In this embodimentof the device,the top ornamental panels 10b are postioned at a 9()o angle with respect to each other as in Fig. 5. 'Ihe collapsed position of the several parts is shown in Fig. 9 of the drawings and will be readily understood from the foregoing description of the other illustrated embodiments ofthe device.

In each form of my present improvements which I have selected for purposes of illustration, it will be seen that the general pyramidal type of structure disclosed in the issued patent heretofore referred to, is retained, the essential feature of the improvement over this old structure residing in the additional relatively foldable parts which pre-vide the hori zontal shelf space between the series of less be undo stood that the primar vertically positioned display panels. Thereby, greater utility with possibilities of more attractive display of the different commodities is realized, and without to any appreciable extent increasing the cost of manufacture of such display devices.

I have herein referred to several constructions which I have found to be quite desirable in commercial use, but it will nevertheand essential features of novelty ot the toregoing disclosure are also susceptible of embodiment in still other alternative structural forms. Accordingly, the privilege is reserved ot re sorting to all such legitimate changes in the form and construction ot the several cooperating parts as may be fairly embodied within the spirit and scope of the invention as claimed.

I claim:

l. A collapsible display device consisting ot a supporting member having two parts connected by a vertical hinge told permitting relative angular movement ot' said parts to i collapsed and operative positions, and display panels connected by a vertical hinge fold and respectively hingedly connected with the free edges of said part-s ot the supporting inember, and means connected with and movable relative to each Ot said panels. said means including an article supporting shelf Jforming part and means detachably connecting said part with one of the supporting parts and retaining the latter parts and the panels in operative position against relative folding movement to collapsed position.

2. .A collapsible display device consisting of a support-ing member having two parts' connected by a vertical hinge told permitting relative angular movement of said parts to collapsed and operative positions, each of said parts provic ed at its opposite vertical edge with a plurality of steps, a series of display panels having their rear faces liingedly attached to the stepsot each of said supporting parts and the corresponding panels in each series connected with each other by a vertical hinge told, each ot said panels hava hingedly connected part provided with .ma iMg t means for detachable interlocking connection with a part of the supporting member and eX- tending between the upper edge of one panel and the lower edge of the next adjacent panel to torni an article supporting shelf. and ad- ;ditional panel sections hingedly connected respectively to the upper ends of the parts of the supporting member and connected with each other by a vertical hinge fold, and said panel sections extending above the upper article supporting shelf when thepdevice is arranged in display position.

3. A collapsible display device consisting ot a supporting member having two parts connected by a vertical hinge fold permitting f vrelative angular movement ot said parts to collapsed and operative positions, each of said parts provided at its opposite vertical edge with a plurality of steps, a series of display panels having their rear faces hingedly attached to the steps of each of said supporting parts and the corresponding panels in each series connected with each other by a vertical hinge fold, each of said panels having a hingedly connected part provided with means tor detachable interlocking connection with a part ot the supporting member and extending between the upper edge of one panel and the lower edge ot the next adjacent panel to form an article supporting shelf, andy additional panel sections hingedly connected respectively to the upper ends of the parts of the supporting member and cdnnected with each other by a vertical hinge told, and said panel sections being positioned in a common plane and extending above the upper article supporting shelf when the device is arranged in, display position.

et. A display device consisting of a supporting member having two parts connected by a vertical hinge fold permitting relative angular movement ot said parts to collapsed and operative positions, two series of display panels having their rear faces hingedly attached to the other vertical edges of the respective parts ot the supporting member with the corresponding panels in said series connected with each other by a vertical hinge told, and said panels being disposed iii oiiiset vert-ical planes when the device is arranged in display position, a part hingedly connected with the upper edge of each of the display panels and movable relative thereto to a horizontal position between said display panel and the lower edge of the next adjacent display panel to provide an article supporting shelf, the respective series of display panels with said hingedly connected parts thereof adapted to lie in closely adjacent superposed relation on opposite sides of the folded supporting member when the device is collapsed, and additional hingedly connected display panels inovably connected with the upper ends of the supporting parts to extend above the uppermostarticle supporting shelt and toldable with said supporting parts into closely adjacent parallel planes when the device is collapsed.

5. A display device consisting of a supporting member having two part-s connected by a vertical hinge told permitting relative angular movement ot said parts to collapsed and operative positions, two series of display panels having their rear faces hingedly attached to the other vertical edges of the respective parts of the supporting member with the corresponding panels in said series coni. nected with each other by a vertical hinge told, and said panels being disposed in oiiset vertical planes when the device is arranged in display position, a part hingedly connected isa with the upper edge of each of the' display panels and movable relative thereto to a horizontal position between said display panel and the lower edge of the next adjacent display panel to provide an article supporting shelf, the respective seriesy of display panels with said hingedly connected parts thereof adapted to lie in closely adjacent superposed relation on opposite sides of the folded supporting member when the device is collapsed,

and additional hingedly connected display panels lnovably connected With the upper ends of the supporting parts to extend above the ,uppermost article supporting shelf and in a common plane angularly related to the planes of said first named display panels, said latter panels being oldable With said supporting parts into closely adjacent parallel planes When the device is collapsed. y

In testimony that I claim the yforegoing' as my invention, I have signed my name hereto.

RALPH S. MOORE. 

